Stuffed Zucchini Boats

This is on my dinner menu tonight so I will be able to tell you if it's any good. Or if it isn't, find another recipe. It has all the ingredients that go well together and I have an over-large zucchini that needs to be used. Then I will be out of zucchini and I will have to resource more.

I don't do a lot of baking with zucchini but I do have my favorites. Chocolate Zucchini Cake, because it's moist enough not to need frosting and Chocolate Zucchini Bread, which I have put into the column. What are your favorites?

I thought about some cooking bloopers I have done and thought it would be fun to share some of your bloopers. One time a recipe called for wax paper on the bottom of a cake pan, for a baked cake. I didn't have any on hand, so substituted Saran wrap. Yep, that didn't work, the plastic wrap baked into the cake, creating a crispy bottom. It was inedible, unless one wanted to eat plastic. My son was going to surprise me with baked cookies one time and instead of ¾ tsp salt, he put in four teaspoons. It was also not edible.

See notes from the recipe site after recipe** Copied from Dinneratthezoo.com

Ingredients:

4 medium zucchini

½ tsp dried Italian seasoning

Salt and pepper to taste

2 tsp olive oil

1 pound mild Italian sausage

½ c. onion, finely diced

1 tsp minced garlic

2 cups marinara sauce

¾ c. shredded mozzarella cheese

1 Tbsp chopped parsley

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a large rectangular baking dish with cooking spray. Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise, then trim off the stem ends. Use a spoon to carefully scoop the flesh out of the zucchinis. Sprinkle the Italian seasoning, salt and pepper over the zucchini shells. Arrange the zucchini in the baking dish

Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Add the sausage and cook for 4-5 minutes, breaking up the meat with a spatula. Add onion and cook for additional 4 minutes or until onion is softened. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.

Season the sausage and vegetable mixture with salt and pepper Pour the marinara sauce into the pan and simmer for 5 minutes. Spoon the meat mixture evenly into the zucchini shells, top with shredded cheese.

Bake for 25 minutes, until zucchini is tender and cheese is melted and golden brown.

** On the site there is a variation for a vegetarian recipe, Mexican, and they note that the pork sausage can be substituted for turkey sausage or hamburger. Different cheeses can be used.

My Notes: I used a can of marinara sauce that could have been a little more flavorful. The mild Italian sausage was bulk which had been in the freezer too long. The article had mentioned using the Italian sausage in casings, which I will try next time, or Bratwursts. I used a combination of mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese. My zucchini was very thick and it could have used a bit more baking time or perhaps a prebake. I also put in some fresh cherry tomatoes. Would I do it again? Yes.

This recipe was originally published in The Times in the September 5, 2019 issue.